Initiatives are largely being churned out without proper review and the strategy could backfire. David Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University and a former official at the Federal Trade Commission, told Politico. “A government by edict is not a sustainable idea.”

Trump signs executive order instructing the Pentagon to carry out a top-to-bottom review of military preparedness, including nuclear, and to draw up a list of plans to upgrade with an increased budget.latimes.com(See also First 100 Days, James Mattis)

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued an ultimatum Wednesday to allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, warning that if they do not boost their defense spending to goals set by the alliance, the United States may alter its relationship with them.washingtonpost.com(See also First 100 Days, James Mattis, NATO)

2017.03.02

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis wants to tap the former U.S. ambassador to Egypt, Anne Patterson, as his undersecretary of defense for policy, but the Pentagon chief is running into resistance from White House officials in the latest of a series of personnel battles that have played out between Mattis and the White House leaving most Pentagon under- and deputy-secretary positions empty.politico.com(See also First 100 Days, James Mattis)

2017.06.26

The Pentagon is considering a plan to cancel enlistment contracts for 1,000 foreign-born recruits without legal immigration status, knowingly exposing them to deportation.washingtonpost.com(See also Immigration, James Mattis)

The House has passed a $788 billion spending bill that combines a $1.6 billion down payment for Trump’s controversial border wall with Mexico with a whopping budget increase for the Pentagon, but significant hurdles remain in front of the measure, which will meet with more powerful Democratic opposition in the Senate.apnews.com(See also Mexico Wall)

2017.08.23

Trump is preparing to give the Defense Department formal authority to expel transgender people from the military in an upcoming order, barring the Pentagon from recruiting transgender troops and cutting off payment for sexual reassignment surgery and other medical treatments for those already serving.nytimes.com(See also LGBTQIA, James Mattis)

2017.08.28

Donald Trump signed an executive order rescinding former President Barack Obama's restrictions on the transfer of military-style equipment from the Department of Defense to local law enforcement agencies.politico.com(See also Fascism, Jeff Sessions)

2017.09.11

A bipartisan pair of senators introduced an amendment Monday to try to reverse Donald Trump's ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.cnn.com(See also James Mattis, LGBTQIA)

2017.10.18

An Army official said green card holders cannot enlist in the Army Reserve “for the time being,” due to a new Department of Defense policy, which requires green card holders to have completed background checks before shipping off to basic training.mic.com(See also Immigration)

2017.11.19

The top U.S. nuclear commander said on Saturday that he would resist President Donald Trump if he ordered an "illegal" launch of nuclear weapons.nytimes.com(See also Unprecedented Actions)

The Pentagon has put off indefinitely a planned ban on using certain cluster bombs, which release explosive sub-munitions, or bomblets. which critics say they kill indiscriminately and pose hazards to civilians.apnews.com(See also James Mattis)

2017.12.11

A federal judge on Monday denied the Trump administration’s request to delay an order requiring the military to begin accepting transgender recruits starting Jan. 1, saying the argument for more time seemed based on “vague claims.”washingtonpost.com(See also Legal Issues, LGBTQIA, James Mattis)

2017.12.12

Donald Trump signed a $700 billion defense policy bill, but less than three hours later started complaining about it's imperfections, notably that it contains several provisions specifically targeting Russia.usatoday.com(See also Trump Relationship with Russia, Russia)

2017.12.14

Charging that the Trump administration has made “delayed, unclear and contradictory public statements” about deadly military operations in Yemen and Niger that resulted in the deaths of five US service members, a veterans group sued the Pentagon for documents related to the raids that it had requested through the Freedom of Information Act.buzzfeed.com(See also Legal Issues, James Mattis)